Feathers and Rose-Petals
by Hobbit Babe
Summary: Centurys have passed, the Fae kingdom has become cruel and twisted. Preying upon humanity... Because they can. Humanity isn't much better. This story is about a descendent of Maleficent finding out about his past, and meeting his life-mate. Rated M for safety. lol
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! So yeah... It's several hundred years later and Mal and Diaval's great great grandson is totally unaware who he's related to. _Ladies_, my main character looks like Benedict Cumberbatch. With shoulder length hair. OH _MY_! :3

* * *

><p>- Chapter 1<p>

When balance is broken chaos _always_ follows, and even powerful fairies and shape-shifters don't live forever.

So it was that when Maleficent and her mate no longer guarded the Fae kingdom from humanity. Their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren had been raised beside humans and so were not as prepared for betrayal as they might have been. Only one member of the family survived, and at the time he was an infant. So he had no knowledge of his past, though the elf who raised him must have suspected _something_. After all the boy had the black hair and molten green-gold eyes that marked all his family. With their protectors gone, the dark Fae took to praying on humans. Especially human women. And in time the whole race became mixed with humanity. these part-Fae children, while not evil were nonetheless subject to all of humanity's failings. That mixed with powerful magic made corruption inevitable.

Humanity meanwhile did no better. The royal family was quickly done away with as soon as their Fae protectors were gone. Some said a demon had taken the throne, but in truth it was a warrior with a grudge against magic. This wicked tyrant quickly began to hunt down anyone with magic.

And so twenty years later our story begins...

The forest was dark, black as pitch. somehow the girl managed to avoid tripping over tree roots as she ran for her life. The wind howled and pulled at Briar's long hair, frozen tears clung to her face, she had to out-run them. She paused for a moment to listen. They were getting closer, despite how long and hard she'd run they were getting closer! Just as she was about to take off again Briar saw it. A doorway between the trees not a hundred yards away. She didn't stop to think, she ran.

Inside the door it was cool, though much warmer than the winter landscape she'd just left behind. Briar squinted to see in the dimness.

"Oh _dear_, what have I caught now?" A soft masculine voice spoke from the darkness.

Briar let out a squeak of fear and pressed herself against the wall.

A light bloomed. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, when they did she nearly screamed. Before her stood a man, In his right hand sat a golden ball of light. He was tall, slender and pale. She noticed then, to her growing alarm that he _clearly_ wasn't human. His eyes were a molten green-gold, his ears were pointed, and a pair of huge black wings lay folded upon his back.

"Who- who are you?" She asked.

He laughed. "Who am _I_? I'd say a better question is, who are _you_?"

Briar felt foolish, she took a moment to steady herself and stood. "I- I'm called Briar Rose." She said as calmly as she could.

He nodded. "And what are you doing in this realm?" He asked gently, seeing how exhausted and afraid the girl was.

She _really_ didn't have a good answer for that, so the truth would have to do. "I was running- from the king's men, they wanted to _kill_ me. When I saw the door I-."

"You _saw_ the door? You didn't just stumble in by mistake?" He asked clearly surprised.

She nodded. He looked her up and down frowning. "Then I don't need to ask why you were being hunted, do I?" He said quietly.

"Well I-" Suddenly voices rang out not far away. She saw his eyes go wide.

"Stay here and keep _absolutely_ silent." He said in a hushed voice.

She nodded, watching her new acquaintance walk off into the darkness taking the light with him. After a moment Briar heard voices speaking softly. "No trouble... quiet all day... will tell you if..." After what seemed forever but was really only about fifteen minutes, she heard the man returning.

She jumped when the light reappeared, the strange winged man once again standing before her.

She looked up at him and was about to speak, when another figure entered the room. He was a tall silver haired elf.

"Well then Corvus, I thought you told me all was _quiet_? That no one had come through today?

Corvus turned to face his superior. The girl would _die_, and die horribly unless he did something. "Yes Sir, that is true. This is my mate Briar Rose."

The elf raised a silver brow at this. "Oh? I thought you were _against_ such things?"

Corvus tensed, he hated that bastard elf. "I am _indeed_ against the practice of abducting mortal women. Briar has _agreed_ to be my mate." He said raising his chin slightly in a show of defiance.

The elf laughed. "I _see_, well carry on, I'm sure you have _other_ things to attend to this evening."

After shooting a dirty look at the retreating elf, Corvus gently took Briar's hand and led her away. They passed through tunnels and passages that shone with star light, though they were clearly underground. Finally they came to a place that was well lit, Briar found herself being led through a door into a comfortable, well appointed sitting room.

Briar turned to look at Corvus, she could see him clearly for the first time. He no longer looked so frightening, in fact she thought he looked quite hansom. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"I don't quite know what happened back there, but I think you saved my life. _Thank_ _you_."

He nodded, looking as tired and nervous as she was.

She knew very well what the Fae did to mortals, especially women. Men they killed out-right, women were _not_ so lucky. If not for this man who had, by claiming her as his mate, saved her. she would be suffering _worse_ than death. For that, and because it was proof of his upright character, she decided then and there that she _would_ be his mate.

Briar gathered her courage, but before she could do what she planned Corvus leaned forwarded and placed a finger on her lips.

"Briar, You have a choice to make, I _can_ take you back to your world, if that's what you want... _Or_ you could stay."

She narrowed her dove-grey eyes. "If I leave, what will happen to you for helping me?" She asked.

His silence told her all she needed to know. "I'll stay." She said with finality.

* * *

><p>love it? Hate it? Have ideas? Let me know! :) also... I hate to be that guy but I will NOT be updateing until I get at least 10 Reviews.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Ok, so I finally figured out how to continue this story. Hope you like!

* * *

><p>Briar woke feeling better than she had in a <em>very<em> long time. For some reason she felt safe for the first time in her life.

She quickly dressed and ran a brush through her coppery hair, tying it back with a silvery piece of leather that lay on the dresser.

Leaving her room Briar espied Corvus and a women with dark hair sitting at the kitchen table.

"Ah, she's finally awake! Come and sit with us Briar." Asked the dark-haired women.

As she took her seat Briar noticed Corvus watching the dark-haired women with an annoyed expression. Apparently she wasn't the only one.

"_Corvus_ don't look at me like that! She _saved_ your life _despite_ your sentimental _foolishness_. I will be _nice_, I promise." said the dark-haired women with a playful expression.

He sighed. "_Nettle_ it isn't _foolish_ to save a life." He said with a frown.

Nettle glared. "We'll discuss that _later_. Briar, _thank_ _you_ for agreeing to stay."

Briar blinked. "Well I couldn't just _leave_, I _know_ what happens to mortals here... and I couldn't imagine what would happen to Corvus for helping me, and honestly I don't _want_ to."

Nettle nodded. "No you really _don't_." She said with a wry expression. "But I'lll tell you this, we don't treat each other much better than we treat mortals."

Briar shuddered hearing this. "In that case I'm _glad_ I stayed."

Nettle smiled and took Briar's hand "You saved the life of my _best_ friend, I can _never_ repay you for that. But you have my friendship."

Briar smiled back. "Thank you Nettle, I shall try to be worthy of your kindness."

After Nettle left, Corvus decided that he should test Briar to see the extent of her magical ability. He lead her to the sitting room and gently pushed up her sleeve. He could see he had made her nervous. "Briar, I won't hurt you, but I _must_ know how powerful your magical gift is, or teaching you will be _quite_ impossible."

He smiled slightly seeing her relax, He then began to trace several patterns on her exposed arm, causing a silvery-blue light to follow the path of his finger. She blinked in surprise, "What- what does that mean?" she asked.

He kissed her wrist and let go of her hand, watching the glow fade. "It means that you have a skill I've _rarely_ seen before... healing." He said with a gentle look on his face.

She blushed. "My grandmother always told me I had magic, I'm glad to finally know what my skill is. Thank you."


End file.
